A new long-tongued, squirrel-sized species of lemur has been
discovered in Madagascar, researchers report today (Dec. 13).

The new creature doesn't have a species name yet, but is of
the genus Phaner, otherwise known as
fork-marked lemurs. These lemurs get their name from a black, Y-shaped line
that starts above each eye and joins at the top of the head. The long-tongued species
has a unique head-bobbing move that showed up in the flashlight beam as
discoverers searched the treetops for a glimpse of the animal. [Image of new lemur]

Conservation International president and primate expert Russ
Mittermeier first spotted the lemur in 1995 during an expedition to
northeastern Madagascar. He knew that his find was likely an unknown
species, but he wasn't able to follow up until October 2010, when he led
scientists and a BBC film crew into the area.

The team set out just after sunset when the Phaner are most vocal and heard one
calling close to camp at the top of a tree. The Phaner was difficult to catch as it moved quickly through the
treetops, so the team ran through the dense forest following the calls.
Eventually, they caught sight of the animal in torchlight but had to wait until
it moved into an open area to get a clean shot with a tranquilizer gun. Once a
dart had found its target, one of the trackers quickly shimmied up the tree to
retrieve it.

The adult male lemur was kept safe and sedated overnight so
the team could examine it in detail and take samples in daylight. The
researchers took blood samples for genetic analysis and slipped a microchip
under its skin for identification and monitoring. Then they returned the lemur
to the forest.

The animal has large hands and feet for gripping trees, and
a long tongue for slurping up its diet of nectar. The new lemur also boasts specialized
teeth for scraping bark off trees to get to the sweet gum beneath.

"This is yet another remarkable discovery from the
island of Madagascar, the world's highest priority biodiversity hotspot and one
of the most extraordinary places in our planet," Mittermeier said in a
statement. "It is particularly remarkable that we continue to find new
species of lemurs and many other plants and animals in this heavily
impacted country, which has already lost 90 percent or more of its original
vegetation."

The lemur will be shown for the first time on BBC's Decade
of Discovery special program Tuesday (Dec. 14).

Live Science Staff

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